Best Car Dollies: Top Picks for Safe & Easy Vehicle Maneuvering

The best dollies to give you control over the vehicles in your garage.

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Have a car that needs to be moved around your garage? Car dollies, also called car skates, are a reliable option. They act as four-wheeled skates for your tires, allowing you to move a car freely and smoothly wherever you want or need. In this piece, we’ll show you some of the best car dollies on the market today.

Why Buy a Car Dolly?

Freedom. The main reason for buying car dollies is the freedom to move old and modern cars to wherever you need them to be. This can be useful regardless if you’re a single car owner or a professional mechanic.

Strength. A car dolly can be one of the most reliable tools in your garage. Usually rated for around 1,500 pounds each, the best car dollies are tough enough to stand up to the weight of a normal car for years.

Different Movements. Using a set of dollies as you work allows you to move your car in many different ways without using the steering wheel or braking system. For example, two dollies will allow you to pivot the front or back of the car; four will give you complete, free 360-degree motion.

Versatility. Most car dollies are ready to handle vehicles and wheels of all types, including front-wheel drive and rear-wheel vehicles. Heavy-duty models can be loaded up with vehicles ranging from a small Miata to a Ford F-150. Lightweight options are great for smaller cars.

Types of Car Dollies

Hydraulic

Hydraulic car dollies are an all-in-one tool. They have a pedal attached to a built-in hydraulic jack that pumps the car into the air for you. This is a great option if you’re looking to save yourself some time and effort. However, this convenience has a catch. The price is usually significantly higher than standard models.

Standard

Standard car dollies are the more basic option. You have to jack the car up separately before you can place it onto the dollies. Standard dollies are a good choice if you won’t be using them often, or if you’re looking for a more affordable option. The lack of a built-in jack significantly drives the price down when compared to hydraulic models.

Top Car Dolly Brands

Pentagon Tools

Mostly famous for their drywall tools, Pentagon Tools also makes some solid dolly sets. Founded back in 2006, they make some very well-reviewed skates. Their best-known model is the 5060, a tough, decent-capacity standard set.

LiftMaster

LiftMaster is no stranger to toughness. Founded in Oak Brook, IL, the company has been around since 1967. Known for their garage accessories, LiftMaster has made a name for itself in the dolly game with their tire skates.

Capri Tools

One of Capri’s taglines is “When Versatility Matters,” and it shows in their products. Capri makes a wide range of high-quality tools, from sockets and saws to precision power tools. They also happen to make some of the most compact hydraulic dollies out there, namely the 21085.

Red Hound Auto

If you’re looking to buy from a company focused entirely on cars, this one should top your list. In business for more than 30 years, Red Hound makes incredibly tough, solid car products and accessories. Dolly-wise, the Red Hound Tire Skate set is top-notch.

Car Dolly Pricing

$50-$150: Mostly standard models, you can find sets of two or four in this range, but quality will vary. These models usually feature an all-metal design with ball-bearing wheels.

$150-$250: Mostly standard dollies with a few hydraulic options as well, two- and four-dolly sets are common here. These models often have a sturdier construction, with smoother wheels and better convenience features.

$250 and above: Almost entirely made up of hydraulic options, models here usually have higher weight capacities for larger, heavier vehicles.

Key Features

Weight Rating

It is important that you don’t exceed your dollies’ weight capacity. This can lead to instability or failure, putting both your car and your safety at risk. Naturally, the higher the weight capacity of the dolly, the wider range of vehicles it can hold. If you’re going to be moving heavier vehicles, this is a key feature.

Brakes

Some dollies come with brakes for some or all of the wheels. This is an extra level of security for you and your car. While unlikely, losing control of a dollied car while moving it can be a hazard. Brakes come with most models, but not all.

Construction

Toughness is the name of the game here. Ideally, you’ll want the surface, wheels, and hardware of the dolly to use a hard material like steel. This quality increases both the performance and longevity of the dolly.

Convenience Features

Some dollies come with handles or straps for easy transportation. This can be helpful if you’re moving them between car shows, garages, or other spots often. Many can also be used for objects other than cars, like furniture.

Other Considerations

When and where you’ll use a set: Consider how you intend to use a set of dollies. If you’re a mechanic needing a set for 30 different cars per week, you will have different needs than a casual user. As a professional, you may be inclined to pick up a hydraulic set to save time. Casual users, however, can usually get by with just a standard set and a good jack.

Set quantity: This, again, comes down to how you’ll be using your skates. You may be able to pivot a car with two dollies, but four will give you 360 degrees of freedom.

Best Car Dolly Reviews & Recommendations 2019

Our top pick is a great set of standard skates. Their most unique feature is a slightly larger plate than the rest of the pack, offering more stability. They also sport an integrated hole in the body for easy storage on a hook or screw in your garage. This is especially useful if you’re short on space.

The 5060’s 3-inch ball-bearing wheels, which come greased from the factory, provide a fluid movement. They also come in at a very solid price point for a set of four. If you’re on a budget but want to put your car completely on a dolly set, this is one of the best choices for you.

The 5060 has no brakes or locks on any of its wheels. This may leave you unable to keep a dollied car in place. The packaging can arrive damaged with missing parts due to poor handling or packing.

This is a very solid set of skates made for average/lighter cars. It fits tires up to 14 inches wide, one of the most accommodating racks on this list. It also features 3-inch cast-iron wheels, the toughest wheels this list has to offer as well.

These dollies are also rated for riding mowers and trailers, which could make it your one-stop solution for moving all of your smaller vehicles. The wheels also feature ball bearings for a reliably smooth push.

A tradeoff for these features is a low weight capacity at 4,000 pounds. This is primarily an issue for larger vehicles like full-size trucks. They also lack brakes, making it difficult to keep the vehicle positioned if the floor isn’t perfectly level.

On top of raising your car with all-steel jacks, the G6313L raises the bar. This hydraulic dolly has a higher vehicle limit, rated for up to 6,300 pounds and 13-inch-wide tires. This is a slight step-up over the standard of 6,000 pounds and 12-inch tires—an important improvement if you’re moving big, heavy vehicles.

The wheels are built to stand up to these increased capacities as well. Made of nylon and backed up by double ball bearings, these wheels offer a smooth push even when near the weight capacity. The jack is also more user-friendly than most, achieving more height with fewer strokes than comparable models.

While the wheels are top-quality, they lack brakes. This becomes more of a factor when used on heavier vehicles. On top of this, they are quite heavy at 47 pounds with no portability features. All of this comes with a price tag that scrapes the top of the higher-end range.

The Red Hound skates make our pick for the best value skates for their build quality and versatility. They also sport a comparatively low price, even for a set of four. These skates feature ball-bearing wheels and axles, which add to the longevity and smoothness of the dollies. Strong, polycarbonate wheel casters and brakes complete this great set.

A unique feature is the Red Hound’s wide array of color and number options within the set. They also come with an option to add a rack, a unique addition that makes it easy to transport two or four dollies at once. Their capacity is comparable to other options, rated for 1,500 pounds and 12-inch tires.

The wheels tend to lose some of their smoothness when approaching the weight limit. This is something to consider if you’re going to be moving 3-plus-ton vehicles on a regular basis and need a near-effortless feel.

The Sunex Hydraulic Dolly stands out with its usability and lack of upkeep. An oversized, L-shaped foot pedal prevents slippage and toe jamming during the lifting process. Its sturdy, ratcheting design is relatively maintenance-free as well.

On top of these unique features, the Sunex has a built-in carrying handle for transportation. This is especially useful with hydraulic models that tend to be heavier to move than standard dollies. It also sports two locking brakes per dolly and comes with a one-year warranty for all parts.

The Sunex comes with the usual high price tag of most hydraulic models. The wheel quality also leaves a lot to be desired. Compared to other options, the wheels are more prone to lock up when the dolly is under a heavy load.

Car Dolly Tips

When moving your car freely, a partner/spotter is always a good idea. They can help keep you safe and away from hazards like walls and debris.

Never tow a car with dollies. For RVers, a tow dolly or four down (four wheels on the ground) is the best way to go to pull a car while RVing. The four-wheeled, free-skating design of car dollies is too unstable to handle a towed vehicle.

Make sure you’re working within the confines of your dollies’ weight limit. Most dollies are rated at 1,500 pounds each.

Keep your dollies off of the floor when not in use. They can create a trip or slip hazard. Keep them stacked in a corner, hung up on a wall, or stored on a rack to cut down on clutter.

When using a hydraulic jack, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and movement. These can be different for every model.

Car Dolly FAQs

Q: Should I get hydraulic or standard car dollies?

A: Built-in hydraulic jacks are a convenience feature. The job can be done without them, using a standard jack. This choice boils down to whether the time and effort you can save with hydraulics are worth dropping a few more dollars. Take a moment to think about how and how often you’ll use your dollies in a typical year or so.

Q: Are no brakes a deal breaker?

A: Not a total deal breaker, but a huge factor. A car placed in a stable position with no brakes will likely stay this way. However, brakes give the vehicle extra stability.

Q: How much do brand names matter?

A: While brand names can give you a general sense of quality at times, it’s more about the specs. Some dollies can outlast and outperform well-known brand models, so you should judge each model on its own.

Final Thoughts

Car dollies are useful and versatile tools. They can be helpful anywhere from a professional shop to your own garage.